Dagon's Little Bastard
by Stunt Pilot
Summary: A former bandit from Morrowind travels to Skyrim to find the Dark Brotherhood...or die trying.
1. Chapter 1

**18 Sun's Height, 4E 201**

**Windhelm, Skyrim**

Skadi inhaled the salty air and it made her cough. She looked around, hoping nobody had seen it. She decided they didn't. She wanted to turn around and go into her cabin, but a blond Nord, almost as tall as herself, was standing in the way. He smiled, showing his yellowish uneven teeth.

"Hello," he croaked; she could smell the liquor on his breath. It was clear he was hungover; he was the same Nord who tried to propose to her yesterday, after a few bottles of Sujamma.

"Move," she told him, not wanting to punch him just yet.

"What d'ye say to that, eh? We could have a nice house in Solitude, and a dozen babies—I love babies!"

So apparently he hadn't forgotten about that.

"What say ye, lass?"

She wanted to say she'll kick him in the arse so hard her foot will knock his teeth out, but as she was opening her mouth, she heard the captain's voice:

"We'll be in Windhelm shortly!"

"Looks like it's time for me to pack my things," she said and slipped out of the Nord's grasp.

Back in her cabin, she located her leather knapsack, her journal and a couple of other things and sat down on her bed.

It was mid-afternoon and she was tired already. She had woken up early. She had dreams about Morrowind again…

She looked out the window and saw what appeared to be city walls. They must be in Windhelm.

She rose from the bed and opened the cabin door. The people were bustling on the deck.

"Hey, lass—" the same Nord who had talked to her tried to catch her hand, but she was quicker. She caught his wrist and squeezed it so hard she saw him wince. He clearly didn't expect her to have any strength.

"If you ever touch me again, I will cut your fucking hands off."

She let go of him, and he went away, rubbing his wrist.

Tabelle had once said to her she should learn to be nicer to people. Skadi replied people should learn not to talk to her. She also now remembered how it had made Helimar laugh.

She saw Argonians, working at the docks, and a few other ships.

It was cold, very cold. Her clothes were too thin for the snow—even if this was the middle of summer.

_As long as there's something decent to drink_, she thought, stepping off the ship.

* * *

Skadi rented a room at the local in, called "Candlehearth Hall". The room was nice enough, at least, compared to what she had on the ship. She also informed the innkeeper that she was a spellsword, in case anyone came looking; the old woman took a long look at her face and one eye, and nodded. Skadi doubted a lot of Nords would trust a Mer, especially one who knew magic, but she'd heard there was a lot of Dunmer in this city, too.

As soon as she stepped out into the cold she was greeted by a drunk, who kept rambling about the Dark Elves. She politely asked him to shut up.

"You're one sexy Mer maiden, aren't you?" he asked, and Skadi smelled alcohol on his breath.

Mer yes, sexy…that wasn't the word Skadi would have used to describe herself. She was tall, with a gold skin, rather common with Altmer—not that she had met many; there weren't many of them in Morrowind. Her most prominent feature, along with her long pointy nose, was her missing left eye with a scar across it as well as her left cheek—a memory from one time she had come across a Daedroth. Back then she wasn't as skilled with magic as she was now.

Also, Skadi wasn't interested in people who valued her body above her skills or intelligence—not that he had even _seen_ her body. It was already darkening.

"Why do you hate Dunmer so much?" she asked him.

For a moment she thought he was going to answer her. Instead, he loosened his pants and took a piss right next to her shoes.

Skadi looked up at the sky, where the two moons were already visible, and thought it would be a bad luck to kill a man on her first day in Skyrim.


	2. Chapter 2

**19 Sun's Height, 4E 201**

**Windhelm, Skyrim**

She had dreams of Morrowind again. She was back in her old cave she used to call home for almost 50 years. Tabelle was here, making her breakfast; Helimar, probably making some rude comment on anything he didn't like that day; Lidriel, composing a song on his lute for him; and Thror, limping into the cave with some weeds in his hands, saying he's found something to add to the breakfast. Skadi missed him the most.

* * *

Skadi had breakfast in her room the next day, and after that she decided to go up to the second floor, where some interesting folk seemed to be gathering. She occupied a chair by a wall and surveyed the room. It was rather early, but a few people were already here. She saw a couple of sellswords, and a few ordinary folk.

She felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning her head left, she saw a middle-aged imperial, smiling at her.

"Hello, my name's Adonato." He extended his hand to her, but she didn't take it. "You might have read my book, _Olaf and the Dragon_. No?" he added, seeing Skadi's impression. He wasn't smiling anymore.

"I don't have time for books," Skadi lied. She did like books, but she didn't feel like telling that to the Imperial. Before she could focus her attention elsewhere, Adonato asked her,

"You're an adventurer, aren't you? I bet you have lots of interesting stories to tell! You've travelled far and wide, maybe you can share a story or two about the outside world."

He sounded rather excited.

"I have one," Skadi said, and inclined her head towards his. Adonato leaned forward a little. "Why don't you stick that quill of yours up your ass."

She then stood up and walked downstairs. She was pleased to see with a corner of her eye Adonato still sitting in his chair with a puzzled expression.

Maybe any other time she would have been happy to tell someone about her adventures—the more pleasant ones, of course. The ones that did not involve robbing people. But today she was in a bad mood. She hadn't had a drink in a long time and she had not expected anyone wanting to talk to her, let alone _propose_.

She sat down at the bar and asked the innkeeper for an ale. She was relieved to see she didn't ask her about it. Maybe she's used to people coming here first thing in the morning and getting drunk, Skadi thought.

The innkeeper was talking to someone else, about a boy who, Skadi gathered, lived in Windhelm, and was trying to call the Dark Brotherhood.

Skadi turned her head instantly at the mention of the brotherhood. It was why she had come to Skyrim in the first place.

"What's his name," she asked the innkeeper.

"Oh? The Aretino boy—he lives not far from here. Just turn east."

Skadi thought about this for a moment. She had come to Skyrim looking for the Dark Brotherhood, and this might be her chance to meet them. Of course, she might have just asked around in the Thieves Guild…

But the Guild was south from here, in Riften, and the Aretino boy lived here. She might as well check him before going south.

But first, she'll visit the Grey Quarter.

* * *

First thing she noticed was the absence of the guards. A waitress at the Candlehearth Hall had told her the night before, that the drinks were much better at an inn in the Grey Quarter—Skadi was pretty sure it was called _The New Gnisis Cornerclub_.

She had little trouble finding it; inside there were a few dark elves. They all looked at her as she entered.

"Hello," she said, and sat down at a bar. "One ale, please."

The bartender stopped cleaning a tankard and took a bottle of ale, and poured it into another, then extended it to Skadi.

"You new here?" he asked.

"Yea."

She sipped the liquid. It didn't taste like horsepiss.

"I'm a spellsword; just came here from Morrowind."

This got some of the elves' attention.

"I've lived there," one of the Dunmer said. "I—I left after the Red Year. How are the things there?"

Skadi stayed there for the better part of the morning, sharing stories with the elves. It was the first time after her gang got murdered, when she felt at home.

Ambarys, the owner of the inn, sold her a map of Skyrim; there was one dark elf who had travelled a bit, and he marked a few places on it.

"Ol' Nordic ruins," he said, "Me 'n my friend once went exploring in this one," he pointed at one _X_ on the map he had drawn himself, "the place was crawlin' with draugr."

"Draugr?" Skadi repeated.

"Yea. 'Bit like skeletons, except they still have some rotten flesh on their bones, and armor, from what we've seen. Bloody difficult ter kill. But fire works, eh? There's a story about how they came to be—what was it?"

Skadi shuddered at the thought of using fire magic. First time she'd tried it, everything went horribly wrong. Frost magic always felt safer somehow—and Skadi was good with it.

"It is said," the innkeeper began, "that ages ago, when the dragons were still on this land (Skadi shuddered even more), there were these—dragon priests, and they had these—disciples, or what you call 'em. They served these dragons, but they had committed treachery, and were cursed with undeath."

"Nords and dragons?" Skadi asked. "Something just doesn't add up."

"Nords used to use magic a long time ago. Now they're bloody scared of it."

The topic ended here; Skadi finished her drink and asked Ambarys, "Heard something of the Aretino boy?"

"He lives here, in Windhelm. His mum died and from what I've heard he's been trying to call the Dark Brotherhood. Nothing to worry about, if you ask me."

Skadi put some money on the table, then stood up, nodded at everyone and left. It was time to check out the Aretino boy.

* * *

What Skadi didn't expect to see was that the Aretino boy was an actual boy—10, maybe 12 years of age.

She opened the door to the manor, which was unlocked, and stepped inside. There was nobody on the first floor, but she could hear chanting from above.

She walked up the stairs, and a strange sight met her eyes.

A skeleton was lying on the floor, surrounded by candles, placed in a circle around it. A boy was kneeling, stabbing the effigy, and he was repeating something—Skadi could hear the words "sweet mother" and "blood and fear." He soon realized he wasn't alone in the room.

"You've come!" he cried, turning to see her, standing in the doorway, and for a moment she thought the boy was going to hug her.

He didn't; it also appeared that he was convinced she was with the Dark Brotherhood. While he was explaining her what to do, Skadi stood in silence; the boy didn't need any encouragement to talk. It appeared that he wanted some old lady in Riften orphanage killed.

"It will be done," Skadi said, once the Aretino boy had finished, though she had no idea how she could do it—and if she should do it at all.

But, she was thinking while descending the stairs, she was most likely heading for Riften in the first place—and she needed a way for the Dark Brotherhood to notice her.

She decided to head back to the New Gnisis Cornerclub for a drink—also, someone who needed a spellsword might have shown up. She desperately needed money, as everything she had brought with herself was slowly running out. She needed something warm to wear in this city, too; despite it being summer, it was snowing here. "What kind of a wretched city is this," she muttered to herself, rubbing her shoulders for warmth.

* * *

An Argonian alchemist was in the Cornerclub that night, asking if they'd seen a sellsword for hire. When Skadi entered the club, Ambarys was just telling him about her. When she entered, the innkeeper stopped talking and nodded at her.

"I find myself in need of a sellsword," the Argonian drawled in half whisper. "The innkeeper here tells me you're one."

It took a moment for Skadi to realize he was talking to her. For whatever reason, he avoided meeting her eyes.

"I find myself in need to travel to Shor's Stone." He spoke so quietly Skadi almost had to tilt her head to hear his words.

"Alright," she said. "How about we leave tomorrow at dawn?"

"Yes… that sounds well. I must excuse myself now. I'll meet you at the gates tomorrow, sellsword."

He looked at her, unblinking, and his gaze made her slightly uncomfortable. He left the inn, closing the door behind him quietly.

Skadi shook her head and sat down. Ambarys placed a tankard on front of her and soon filled it with ale.

"I hate to say this," she confessed, taking a sip. "I don't know where Shor's Stone is."

"It's south of here, on the way to Riften. It should be on your map."

Skadi took the map from her pocket and, sure enough, there was a small village near a bigger circle titled _Riften_.

'It seems I am in luck,' she thought to herself.

She finished her drink and put a few coins on the bar.

"I should go now. G'night," she said to Ambarys.

"Same to you," he smiled at her.


End file.
